Caster



J. S. CANTELO.

GASTER.l APPLlcmoN min APR. 1a, 191s. RENEwED SEPT. 18. 1919..

1,338,356. Pfltnted Apr. 27, 1920.

JOI-IN S. CANTELO, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CASTER.

Application led Apri1 13,' 1915, Serial No. 21,125.

To all whom ima/gj cof/cern s Be it known that I, JOHN S. CANTnLo, a citizen ofthe United States, and resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Casters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing'like parts in each of the several views.

This invention relates to lcasters and while having other andlmore general fields of usefulness is well adapted for embodiment in a caster for shoe racks such as are used in transporting shoes from one department of a factory to another in the process of manufacture. As a shoe rack is thus moved about inthe factory the wheels of its casters are apt to catch particles of thread, cloth, lint and like waste and becomes cloggedup, occasioning much annoyance and difficulty in removing the same. This isespecially apt to be the case with waxed threads which are commonlyfound on the floors of the factory. A prime object of the invention is to provide an effective guard device adapted to preventv threads or other waste fibers or particles from winding into the caster-wheel or interfering with the rotation thereof. A further object is to provide a simple, reliable oiling means adaptedto keep the caster wheel orI roller lubricated for a long period without attention. A still further object is to provide a simple, cheaply constructed and strong caster for shoe'racks or the like capable of a long period of satisfactory service. yThe foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings and will be thereafter pointed out in the ap'- pended claims. l

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a caster constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the broken Section line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2v, 1920.

Renewedseptember 18, 1919. Serial No.' 324,577.`

Fig. 41 is aibottom plan View ofthe top holding flange in which the caster is swiveled;

Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation of the "pivot pin of the caster wheel;

Fig. 6 is a partial frontelevation'showng a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 isa perspectiveview of the form shown in Fig. 6.

My improved caster is formed with a bracket frame composed of anv upright portion 10 to engage with al swivel connection fixed to the rack or other body to' be supported, having a forward offset 11, bearing a depending portion'l)J equipped with a bearing forA the caster wheel or roller. As shown in Figs. 1v to 1, the upright portion 10 ofthe frame has a deep cylindricalsocket andgrease well 13 with-a conicalbottom-to receive a correspondingly shaped hub 111 depending fromandas shown integral with a' flange plate 15 which may be extended at two sides to form earsv 16 having holes 17 I therethrough to receive securing devices whereby the caster may be fixed to the shoe rack or other body tolbe supportedt The plate 15 is formed with a circular depending Vflange 18 and the top of the upright frame portion 10 is provided with aradial plate flange 19, these parts being relatively arranged when the hub 1112is seated in the socket or grease well 13, so that there will be some little space between the flange 19 and the supporting plate thereabove with its shroud flange 18. At oneV side of the shroud flange 18 a projection 2O is formed on the plate 15, this projection being some little higher than the flange 18, and on this projection is fixed as by a screw or rivet 21, a` washer' 22 adapted to prevent the hub 14 from being drawn too far out ofits socket; By having the washer 22 spaced some little distance away from the flange 19,' the hub 111 is permitted to work in and out of the socket and grease well 13 so that the lubricant'is kept spread and disseminatedto all parts of the swivel bearing. TheV shroud flange 18 completely protects the swivel joint thus formed and the spacingy ofthe` flange 19 away from the' adjacent plate 15 into.

and flange 18 provides clearance toapply grease orrother lubricant. The depending portion l2 of the bracket fraine is not only offset forwardly as seen at il but also laterally as indicated at 23, and it has formed' thereon a hubrr2ll which' extends back into the transverse central 'plane Vofthe caster.VV

The hub 24 is centrally bored to receive Va bearing pin or shaft 25 which is journaled therein and has a reduced end 26 thereof ser into axially and fixed to the wheel or roller e 27 of the caster, this wheel being centrallyv recessed as seen at 23-to receive the hubfitting relation with the hub 24. It will be observed that thisguard plate extends down substantially abovethe axis of rotation of the wheel. With this arrangement as )the bearing of thev wheel may wear to some little extent, it will tend to bring the wheel into closer engagement with the guardmember, sok V`that so long as the caster is serviceable it is insured that the guard member will be effective for preventing the passage of threads or the like past it on the periphery ofthe wheel. To further insure the correct adjust- Y ment of the guard device into operative relation with the wheel periphery I show. itV Vfixed to the frame by a screw which passes through an elongated slot 33 of the guard,A or scraper so that the guard may be set in to just the right Vpoint and securely clamped in place. The plate 29 may be bent at its edge as seen at 29 to engage the frame for locating the guard properly and holding it from displacement.

Itis usually the case that castersof this kind are given practically'no attention after once being put in use, and hence it .is important that an adequate means of lubrication that will keep the caster lubricated for a long period be provided. For this purpose I provide areservoir forlubricant in the hub 24, by forming one or more bores in said hub, one suoli bore being shown at 34C. The bearing pin or shaft 25 which is .fixed to rotate with the wheel has at its inner end a radial flange 35 of a dimension adapted to pass through the bore 34 so that when saidvbore Vcontains lubricant it will be carried up by said flange and disseminated through the bearing. The hub is also shown as formed with an enlarged'recess 36 open-- ing to the flange 35 which may also serve as a lubricant container This recess is closed by a cap 37 which may be set into a shallow shoulder formed in the faceiof the hub. It is to be'observed that while the guard or scraper member fits the periphery of the wheel closely, the bracket frame is elsewhere termed with clearance so as to permit the freest possible rotation of said wheel, this clearance being indicated at 38.

`In Figs. 6 and 7 I show a form of the invention wherein the guard Vmember instead of being formed as a separate plate is inte-V gral with the bracket frame which'in this case is shown -as kformed with cheek pieces at each side of the roller instead ofwith an oflset portion only at one side thereof as in the first' described form. In this form the bracket frame is equipped with'a disk flange portion 39 adapted to constitute one member ofV a swivel connection with the rack,

from which depend spaced apart parallel cheek pieces' 40, ll, having at their lower ends forwardly offset bearings 42 for the caster wheel or roller 43. VThe cheek pieces d0, ll are in this form provided with shear edges lil which extend up closely against the sides of the wheel-from its periphery to its axis joint, while a similar shear edge 45 extends in from the frame closelyagainst the periphery of the wheel, it being noted that this shear edge-which engages the pei-iphery', is as in the first described form substantially above the bearings 42, so that as the wheel bearing may wear, the wheel is kept closely against the guard thus provided. I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms as tor the various details ofconstruction .herein Y iio Vl. A caster, comprising a frame, a wheel pivote'd thereto, and a guard structureV on said frame arranged closely adjacent saidV wheel both peripherally and laterally thereof to prevent winding of threads thereon, the lateral portions of said guardterminating above the wheel pivot and permitting the guard structure as a whole to beselfadjusting downward to take up for wear. 2. A casteig-comprising a frame, having a depending leg with a hub formed thereon, and a wheel ournaled to said hub, said hub having a lubricant Vcontainer formed therein, and said wheel having means movable therewith for distributing the lubricant. l

3. A caster, comprising a frame, having a depending leg with a hub formed thereon, a wheel j ournaled to said hub, said hub ,having a lubricant container formed therein,

and said wheel having a plate flange mounted to rotate into said lubricant container to distribute lubricant.

el. A caster, comprising a frame having a depending leg with a hub formed thereon, and a wheel having an axle fixed thereto extendinginto and journaled in said hub said hub extending into a recess seat therefor in said wheel, said wheel being supported wholly by said axle at one side of the hub.

5. A caster, comprising a frame, having a depending leg with a hub formed thereon, a wheel recessed to fit over said hub, and an axle `fixed to said wheel extending at one side thereofl only and journaled in said hub, said hub having a lubricant container bore and said axle having a plate flange extending into said container to distribute the lubricant.

6. A caster, comprising a frame, having a depending leg with a hub formed thereon, and a wheel having an axle fixed thereto extending at one side thereof' only and journaled in said hub, said hub extending into a recess seat therefor in said wheel, said hub having provision to completely incase said axle for the purpose stated.

7. A caster, comprising a frame, having a wheel journaled thereto, said frame being formed with a swivel socket and grease well at the top thereof, and a supporting member formed with a depending hub fitted to said socket, said supporting member and hub having provision to permit limited sliding movement with respect to said socket.

8. A caster, comprising a frame, having a Wheel journaled thereto, said frame having at its top a swivel socket and grease well, said socket having a radial top plate flange, and a supporting member having an integral hub fitted to said socket with provision for limited in-aud-out sliding movement, said supporting member having a shroud flange depending therefrom surrounding said radial plate flange.

9. A caster, comprising a frame, having a wheel pivoted thereto, said frame having at its top a swivel socket equipped with a radial top plate flange, and a supporting member having a hub integral therewith fitted to said socket, said frame having a downward projection with a stop mounted thereon in position to engage said radial fiange to permit limited in-and-out sliding movement of said hub for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to the speciiication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. CANTELO.

"Witnesses LoUIsn A. JORDAN, CLYDE L. ROGERS. 

